This book was produced by the New York City Human Resources Administrationin partnership with the Cornell University Cooperative Extension - New York City.

A Guide To Making Healthier Food Choices

INTRODUCTION

Eating too much fried, fatty and fast food can bring on obesity, diabetes and heartdisease. Deciding what to eat and figuring out what’s healthy can seem confusingsometimes, but the basics of eating well are not that complicated. Eating more nutri-tiously starts at home. Cooking meals at home has many different benefits. It's oftenless expensive and healthier than eating out. And cooking together with your family alsomeans sharing quality time.When choosing what to eat, focus on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and leanmeats, and eat less added sugars, processed food, and fast food. Making healthychoices can be as simple as grabbing an apple instead of a soda, or some nuts insteadof a bag of chips. So try a new vegetable, explore a new cuisine that is different fromyour own, or prepare the foods that mean home to you.By making time to cook, even just once or twice a week, you can save money and calo-ries. This book is designed to help you make dishes at home that are healthier andcheaper than fast food. If you are a low-income family or receive food stamps, choosingto cook at home will help you stretch your food budget while making sure you eat morenutritious foods.